There's Always A Story
by Lord of Kavaka
Summary: "There's always a story, always a chain of events that makes everything make sense." A collection of unrelated one shots, ficlets, and/or drabbles. I'm open to prompts.
1. The Cat's Out Of The Bag

**The Cat's Out Of The Bag**

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><p>a "47 Seconds" story<p>

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><p>Kate gritted her teeth and let out a sigh of frustration as she closed the interrogation room door behind her. That went nowhere. She was hoping that if she pushed him, Bobby would admit the truth. But it had failed. And all she got out of it was more questions and dead-end leads. Bobby wasn't their bomber.<p>

"Hey," Castle's voice startled her out of her thoughts and she nearly jumped in surprise. She put her hand over her palpitating heart, just above the spot where a bullet wound marred her skin, and glanced up at him with large, saucer eyes. "Sorry," he ducked his head, almost sheepishly. "Didn't mean to startle you. I… I just wanted to tell you I thought you were _really_ good in there. Amazing, really."

"You were watching?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Heard it all."

Kate's heart rate suddenly quadrupled. She hadn't known he was watching. If she had, she might have gone at it differently. Because hearing her admit to lying for months while interrogating a person of interest was not how Kate wanted Castle to find out the truth. She sucked in a deep breath, waiting for the blow up, for the burst of anger to come out over her lie, but nothing happened. Castle remained calm and relaxed. She cocked her head and looked at him questioningly.

He shrugged. "It was worth a shot, but maybe he honestly doesn't remember. A bomb can be just as traumatic as a bullet."

"Uh, yeah," she nodded dumbly, unable to do anything but agree as she realized that Castle had thought she'd been using an interrogation technique to get Bobby to talk. The guilt and shame hit her almost immediately. It consumed her, eating at her insides. Kate couldn't look at him, so she averted her gaze, feeling her face flush with the shame. Why, oh why had she thought lying to him was a good idea? Oh yeah… her walls.

Those walls she'd built up after her mom died, they'd been falling down, brick by brick. It had been hard and slow, but she'd been working at it. And she was doing well. She was close… so very close to finally dismantling those walls. But now… now Kate was just consumed with the guilt at lying to the man she loved, letting him think she hadn't heard his desperate declaration of love, when all she really wanted to do was tell him—to show him—just how mutual that love really was.

"So, what's next? Back to the drawing board?" he asked, oblivious to her internal battle.

Kate had to fix this, and soon. This whole case was a tragic reminder that life was too short. She was tired of walking around with this secret, when all she wanted was Castle, to have him as more than a partner. She wanted to love him openly, free and unashamed. No more secrets. No more lies. It was time for the truth. It was time to grab for what she wanted. Making a quick decision, Kate grabbed his arm and pulled him down the hallway, roughly shoving him into a supply closet, closing the door behind them as she flicked the single overhead light on.

"Um, Beckett—?" an understandably perplexed Castle started to ask, but before he could finish is question, Kate cut him off by grabbing his face in her hands and silencing him with a hungry and desperate kiss.

She curled her fingers into his perfectly stylized hair, tugging him closer as she angled her body into his. His hands flailed around uselessly for just a moment, but finding purchase on her hips, holding her close. Kate pushed up into him, moaning softly as their bodies melded together just right… so right. Castle groaned into her mouth, giving her an opening to deepen the kiss. Her tongue flicked out and made contact with his. Their bodies drew closer together as their arms snaked around one another, leaving no space between them as the kiss deepened, turning more hot and passionate with each tick of the clock. It was perfect. They fit together perfectly, and the sheer rightness of it just blew her mind away.

Gasping for air, Kate reluctantly pulled back. Castle gazed down at her, his hair adorably mussed and his lips swollen from kissing, a slack jawed expression on his face, in utter shock and awe at her actions.

"Kate?" he murmured out, baffled and confused, but not at all complaining. Just curious. His hot breath brushing across her face, sending shivers of arousal trickling down her spine.

Kate drew in a deep breath, fortifying herself for his inevitable reaction. "God, I'm so sorry, Castle," she declared softly. "It wasn't some interrogation technique or trick to get him to talk. It wasn't."

"What are you saying?" Castle inquired, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"What… what I told Bobby, about remembering every second… it… it wasn't a lie."

Castle's eye went wide, and his mouth dropped in shock. The betrayal and hurt glistening in his eyes was hard to miss. Kate bit her lower lip and ducked her head, feeling the shame rise up again. But then, Castle's fingers coasted along her jaw, tilting her chin up until they're eyes locked.

"All this time… you remembered?"

She inclined her head in confirmation, trying to pour all the sorrow and love she had for him into her eyes, hoping and praying he could see it, that he could read her like he always had before. Kate did not want a repeat of that one summer. She wouldn't survive it this time around.

Castle swallowed, his gaze turning guarded as he looked down at her. He didn't ask her for an explanation, or a reason behind her lie. Instead, he asked, "And your reply?"

Kate let out a shaky breath of relief, knowing exactly how to answer his question. She looked him in the eye, more than ready to tell him the truth that she'd known for quite a while, with every fiber of her being. "I love you too."

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><p>Prompt from <strong>castlefanficprompts<strong>: _What if when Castle heard Beckett in 47 seconds he thought she was lying to Bobby. And when she came out of interrogation he said "maybe he honestly doesn't remember. A bomb can be just as traumatic as a bullet." And then guilt consumes Beckett._


	2. Where Would You Like It?

**Where Would You Like It?**

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><p>a "Flowers For Your Grave" story<p>

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><p>Castle sighed, shifting on the barstool as he gazed down at his 15-year-old daughter. So responsible. So innocent. She knew so little of how disappointing the real world was. How… <em>boring<em> it could become. Derrick Storm had become so tedious and tiresome. Everything was the same. There was no excitement, no eager anticipation left with him. Castle scrubbed his hand across the stubble along his jaw. What he needed was a change. Something unpredictable. Something… new.

"Just once," he breathed out, regaining Alexis's attention. "I'd like someone to come up to me and say something new."

"Mr. Castle?"

Oh great, another fan. Probably seeking a signature. He'd lost track of the number of chests he'd signed his autograph on. He loved his fans, he really did, but he hated when they intruded on his time with Alexis. Still, this autograph-seeking fan did have a lovely voice. Perhaps the rest of her would be just as lovely. The thought brightened his mood. He did like the ladies. Page Six didn't call him a playboy without good reason. And there was something about this woman's voice that had him… intrigued? Castle reached inside his jacket, plastering on his signature charming smile as he pulled out a pen, ready—if not as eager as usual—to sign another pair of breasts.

"Where would you like it?"

Castle's mouth dropped when he saw the piercing hazel eyes. His gaze widened as he took in the rest of her: Short hair—_adorable_—high cheekbones, kissable lips… all in all a classic beauty that was timeless. He swallowed and flicked his eyes back up to hers, so captivating.

She plucked something shiny and golden off her belt and shoved it in his face. "Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD. We need to ask you a few questions about a murder that took place earlier tonight."

Alexis leaned over to whisper in his ear, "That's new."

Castle couldn't look away from this startling beauty with a badge. _Badge_. He stared at it for a long while, pen still clutched at the ready. And then, with a slight shrug and, in retrospect, without any thought, really, he leaned forward with the Sharpie, and with a flicked of his wrist, a habitual motion ingrained as a result of countless book tours and personal appearances, signed his name across the shiny badge.

The woman—Beckett—gasped in surprise and shock, before registering what he'd just done. He could barely believe it himself. Her nose wrinkled as her brow furrowed into an adorable frown—_what's with this woman and being adorable?_ And then before he knew what was happening, she was grabbing him by the scruff of his neck and hauling him up off the barstool. With expert skill, she had him spun around and face planted on the surface of the bar.

Okay, he probably shouldn't be so turned on by this, but he was. Helped, too, that this Kate Beckett was model hot. He strained his neck to look over his shoulder as she pulled out her handcuffs.

"Richard Castle, you are under arrest," she growled, eyes blazing with a fury that was seriously sexy.

"For what?" he hooted in mild outrage. After all, his daughter was sitting right next to them, witnessing the entire exchange.

Her nose wrinkled for a second as she formulated an answer, finally settling on, "Vandalism." She huffed indignantly, and then she slapped the cuffs around his wrists, twisting them tight. _Oh God, this is seriously hot_.

"Ooh, bondage!" he grinned, waggling his eyebrows at her as she yanked him back up. "My safe word is apples."

"Oh, don't worry, Mr. Castle, I wasn't planning on being gentle," she gritted out, gracing him with a smoking hot glare.

"My kind of woman," he winked.

"Eww, Dad, I'm sitting right here," Alexis shuddered.

"Right…," he bobbed his head. "Hey, Alexis… don't tell Gina, okay? Just… er… tell your grandmother," he hollered over his shoulder as Beckett curled her fingers around his arm and started to haul him away from the bar, an adorable scowl on her face. "I might need someone to post bail."

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><p>Prompt from <strong>MsMorg<strong>: _Castle shrugs when Beckett pulls out her badge and signs it. like when she shows up at the book launch party the first time._


	3. 35

**35**

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><p>a Kate Beckett Birthday story<p>

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><p>As she saw it, it was just a normal day.<p>

Kate Beckett didn't want to do anything special.

All she wanted to do was relax, recline in her favorite armchair in the study and read a good book, the only sounds coming from Castle's fingers tapping across the keyboard as he wrote another exciting chapter in the fictional lives of their alter-egos, Nikki Heat and Jameson Rook. As much as she tried to hide or deny it, she really was a fan. And she was silently thrilled that she now got to witness him create his stories. She loved his books; they'd helped her through a rough patch in her life, reminding her that sometimes the good guys did prevail. Then the man behind the words did the same thing for her own life, reminding her that she could be in love and happy again.

It hadn't always been easy, or welcomed, but she was glad he stuck it out. Sure, there were things she regretted, that in retrospect she'd do differently, but in the end, she wouldn't change a thing. Because it was all part of their story.

And Kate loved their story.

She was married to Richard Castle. She was his wife. And nothing could make her happier than all the possibilities that awaited them as husband and wife.

"What do you want to do today? Anything special?" Castle asked her as they danced around each other drinking their morning coffee and making a quick breakfast before heading into the precinct.

"No, nothing special," she said, gazing lovingly at her husband. She was still getting used to it. It was all still so new. "All I need is you."

"Oh really?" he drawled out, leaning forward and waggling his eyebrows suggestively. "If that's the case, care to see how many rounds we can get in before we have to leave for work?"

She snorted at that, but cocked her head to the side and pursed her lips into a soft smile as she remembered how he'd woken her up this morning with nothing but his gloriously talented tongue, and then how he had insisted on 'helping' her shower. "I don't know, Castle, you think you can handle a third round so early in the morning?"

He had made a little 'pfft' noise of feigned offense, before looking her in the eye and declaring, "Try me."

Not one to back down from a challenge, Kate had ended up arriving at work almost an hour late, and on shaky legs too. She went straight for her chair, sitting down with a huff and reaching underneath her desk to massage her aching thighs. And she thought that man had been insatiable on their wedding night. Castle gave her an apologetic look, as if the smug bastard was actually sorry that she had trouble walking after their kitchen escapades. He dropped a kiss on top of her head and left with the promise of returning with a fresh cup of coffee.

While he was gone, she had to endure her friends and colleagues pestering her with birthday wishes. She accepted them gracefully, one or two were really touching. If Kate hadn't already felt of the 12th Precinct as a second family, she would most certainly now. Castle returned with her usual order of coffee, and she thanked him with a large beaming smile when she noticed the heart shape in the foam. He winked at her and plopped down unceremoniously into his chair.

They caught a case, and rapidly got caught up in the mystery. During one of the early lulls, while they waited for fingerprints to come back from the lab, Castle dragged her down the hall, surreptitiously tugging her into the supply closet. Before she could object, his mouth was covering hers and his hand was shoved down her pants. He worked her effortlessly until she was crying out his name and gasping for air. But before she could drop down to her knees and return the favor, Castle stopped her, keeping her standing as he lightly kissed her lips to stifle her protest.

"Today is about you, Kate," he told her. "I know you don't want it to be special, but I'm your husband now, and like it or not, I want to make it special for you."

"Okay," she bobbed her head, her throat clenching up with love for this man, so selfless and caring. "Okay." She ran her hand along the side of his face and kissed him again, before leaning back and biting her lower lip, looking up at him with an almost sheepish expression. "How did you know that having you get me off in the supply closet was one of my fantasies?"

"A husband knows," was his only response as he winked, and kissed her one last time before directing her back out into the hall. They peeked around the corner, and then snuck back out to the bullpen, Ryan and Esposito, thankfully, none the wiser.

Later that afternoon, Gates came out of her office, and told Kate to take the rest of the day off. She tried to protest, saying she didn't want special treatment, but Gates insisted, added with support from the boys.

"We've got this, Beckett," Esposito asserted.

"Yeah, Beckett," Ryan added. "Trust me, you want to take advantage of all the free time you get before you two start at having children—Ow!" he jerked his head towards his partner, rubbing his arm. "What was that for?"

"Children? Really, bro?" Esposito scoffed. "They just got married, dude. Let them ease into things."

Kate shook her head at the two and grabbed Castle's hand, sharing an amused smirk with her husband, as they strolled towards the elevator. She hollered out a goodnight to the boys, but wasn't sure they heard over their bickering.

XXX

Back at the loft, Kate got her early morning wish, and was able to lounge around in her favorite armchair in the study, finally getting a chance to read _Raging Heat_ while listening to the tapping of the keyboard as the creator crafted the next chapter in Nikki and Rook's lives. Everything had been so crazy, with Castle's disappearance, his return, and then their wedding, that Kate hadn't yet had the time to actually read it.

She felt a little guilty about that, especially after that hilarious web commercial. Castle was still quietly fuming over that little thing. He almost threatened to pull out of Black Pawn and find a new publisher, but with Alexis and Martha's help, Kate had talked him down, getting him to see that any press was good press, even if it didn't necessarily depict himself as he would like it to. He reluctantly agreed, seeing as it wasn't as bad as being ambushed about his disappearance during a TV interview. And it helped that the video had worked. Sales for _Raging Heat_ had gone up after the commercial went viral. And Rick Castle was once again in the good graces of the tabloid media, not that he or she cared about that sort of thing anymore.

Kate was about halfway through when she felt Castle's hands rub across her shoulders, squeezing tenderly, before he dipped his head down and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"I was thinking we could go out to dinner tonight," he suggested. "Nothing fancy. Just you and me. What do you say?"

She smiled. "I'd like that, yes. Just let me change."

Kate marked her place in the book, and stood, wrapping her arms around Castle's neck as she pulled him down for a quick kiss, before she sauntered off to their bedroom to change, adding an extra sway to her hips as she went.

XXX

They slid into one of the red vinyl booths at Remy's 45 minutes later. Kate arched an eyebrow at Castle as he rattled off their usual order to the waitress. He returned her look and explained that he thought it fitting to have dinner to celebrate her birthday at the restaurant they had their first date in.

"Our first date was at La Cirque," she corrected.

"Sure it was, Beckett," Castle asserted. "You keep telling yourself that. I've always counted this as our first date. Remember… it was during our second year working together. We got distracted by a case and missed out on dinner at Drago's… so we came here for a burger."

"That wasn't a date, Castle," she said. "And if I recall correctly, you'd been at Drago's with Bachelorette Number 3."

"Oh, and you were there with the fireman," he snipped back. "Not that I noticed or anything."

"Sure," she chuckled, unconvinced, winking at him as the waitress arrived with their orders. Kate closed her eyes and inhaled the delicious aroma. "Shall we eat?"

XXX

After dinner they stopped by her Dad's for coffee and cake, a pre-planned event. Jim passed some gifts a few of Kate's relatives had sent to him so he could give them to her. They enjoyed the cake and the company, talking about their plans for the holidays. They had agreed to go up to her father's cabin for Thanksgiving, and Jim was looking forward to spending some quality time with his new son-in-law, fishing out on the lake.

"Don't worry, there aren't any fish," Kate assured him afterwards on the ride home. "Dad just wants to get to know you. There's no need to worry. He long ago approved of you."

"I'm not worried," Castle weakly defended, and Kate rolled her eyes, unconvinced.

XXX

She pounced him when they reached their floor, kissing him hard and wrapping her arms around him as they stumbled towards the door. She couldn't keep her hands off him. Ever since he got her off in the supply closet with nothing but his fingers, she'd wanted him… so badly. She needed him now. And if Kate had to use the excuse that it was her birthday and she should get what she wanted, then so be it.

He was trying to hold her off as he fumbled with the key, trying to tell her something, but she wasn't listening. She nibbled at his ear long and ran her hands down his front, palming his crotch. He yelped and pushed the door open. They stumbled in.

"SURPRISE!" chorused a room full of friends and colleagues.

Kate jumped back from Castle, quickly pulling her hand away from his belt buckle as her face turned bright red as she glanced over the sea of faces all staring at them with amused expressions. She leaned into Castle's side, tilting her head up to whisper in his ear.

"Why didn't you warn me?" she hissed out.

"I tried to," he replied. "But _someone_ couldn't keep her hands off me."

"I'm so going to kill you," she grumbled under her breath, before quickly putting on a smile and thanking everyone for coming.

XXX

Later that night, after all their guests had left, Kate laid deliciously naked in bed with Castle, save for the gold infinity-symbol pendant, inscribed with their initials on either side of the word 'Always', that rested between her breasts. He had presented it to her after everyone had left, and she loved it, for the symbolism it represented when it came to them. Kate had more than thanked him for it over the course of the last hour or so. She snuggled close against Castle's side, their bodies still slick from the sweat of their fierce and passionate lovemaking. She idly twirled her fingers over his bare chest, listening to the rapid beating of his heart.

"Hope you weren't too embarrassed," he spoke up after catching his breath.

"No, not too much," she said. "It was nice of them all to come. I… hadn't expected that. Especially Gates and her husband Ray. It was nice to finally meet him."

"Yeah, really cool guy," Castle agreed.

"You're only saying that because he liked your books."

"What can I say, the man has excellent taste in literature."

"_Literature_," Kate mimed with a snort. "You sure about that?"

"The man teaches English Lit at Columbia," Castle defended. "I think his word is good."

"Sure, you keep telling yourself that, Rick," she purred, curling further into him. Kate sighed, pressing a kiss against his shoulder. "It was nice of Martha and Alexis to give us the Loft to ourselves for the night. It was the perfect night. Thank you, Rick." She paused, feigning a scowl. "Though I wished Ryan and Jenny hadn't taken their sweet time leaving."

Castle chuckled. "Oh, I don't begrudge them. They just wanted more time away from the baby. I guarantee that'll be us at some point."

"Maybe," Kate shrugged, biting her lower lip, and ducking her head down against his chest. "You want that?

"Huh?"

"A baby?"

"Well, yeah… not now, but someday, with you," he grinned softly. "I think a certain Beckett-Castle breed might be interesting."

Kate threw her head back and laughed. "You did not just call our future child a 'breed', did you?"

He shrugged. "Wanna punish me?" he questioned, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh, yes," she smirked, climbing up over him until she straddled his hips. "I think most definitely I do."

Castle gazed up at her with nothing but love and awe in his eyes, skimming his arms up and down her sides, tickling the bottom curve of her breasts with his thumbs. She smiled, and then closed the distance, kissing him just as he made one final declaration before speech became secondary. "I love you, Kate. Happy Birthday."

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><p><em>Thoughts?<em>


	4. Super Grip

**Super Grip**

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><p>a Caskett story<p>

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><p>Castle sat anxiously besides his wife, dabbing a cool wet cloth across her brow while also brushing back some of the loose strands of hair that had escaped from her messy bun. His tender care only earned him a fierce glare as she growled through another contraction.<p>

"This is all your fault!" she screamed as her head arched back into the pillows, her entire body trembling with the effort of enduring the labor pains.

"You're doing great, Kate," the doctor called from the foot of the bed, rolling her stool over to check on Kate's progress. "You're almost fully dilated. Any moment now."

Kate scoffed in disbelief, her head flopping back down on the pillow. Castle rubbed her shoulder tenderly, wishing he could take the pain upon himself. It was so unfair. Life was really cruel. Why did childbirth—the miracle of life—have to be so damn painful?

"I'm sorry, so sorry," he murmured, slipping his hand down her arm and clasping her hand in his, interlocking their fingers. "I wish I could…," his voice failed him for a moment, before he found it again. "If I hadn't taken a wrong turn, and gotten stuck in traffic, we would have gotten here in time for you to get the epidural."

Kate tilted her head towards him, and gritted her teeth as she breathed through a contraction. "Don't… beat yourself up over it, Castle," she panted out. "If I hadn't insisted we attend that damn party we wouldn't have been so far away."

He nodded, smiling softly and leaning down to brush a kiss across her forehead, a silent 'thank you' for sharing the blame. She smiled back at him, her eyes reflecting back the mutual love and respect they each had for one another. Then her serene expression twisted, and she clenched her eyes closed, roaring through a painful contraction. Her hand squeezed his, and Castle grimaced. Damn, she was strong.

"Fuck!" she exclaimed, startling him with her language. Kate Beckett never used such vulgar language, except under different, more passionate circumstances. "I thought the doctor said I was close!"

"Just a little longer, Kate," the doctor soothed, patting her shin, before turning to consult the nurse.

Kate gripped Castle's hand tighter, and he knitted his eyebrows together at the pressure her vice-like grip inflicted upon his soft writer's hand. Another contraction rolled through her body, and Kate gritted her teeth, hissing out each breath. Her hand squeezed and clenched around his and Castle bit his lower lip trying to block out the pain. When suddenly there was an audible pop, and a sharp spark of pain shot up through his forearm.

Castle let out an unmanly whimpering cry, and Kate startled, her eyes snapping open as she looked at him with concern. "What!?"

"I… I think…," he breathed through the pain, nostrils flaring. "Damn… Kate, you've got some grip. I think you broke my hand!"

"Shit," Kate murmured, her eyes filling with apology. "Oh God, Castle… I'm so sorry."

"Don't be, it was my own fault," he winced as she loosened her grip and he retrieved his hand. "I should've known better. After all, I married Superwoman."

She laughed at that, and he grinned bravely, pleased that he had been able to get that reaction out of her. Humor… it had always been his best coping mechanism. She flashed him a grateful smile, and he smiled back. He winced, though, when an unsympathetic nurse snatch his hand away from his lap to examine it.

"Yep, it's broken," the nurse announced. "Let's go get an x-ray to see how bad the damage is."

"No," Castle asserted firmly, yanking his hand back, his voice raising, startling everyone in the room. "No," he repeated, quieter this time. "I'm not leaving my wife's side."

"Castle, you don't…," Kate began to protest, but he shook his head, waving off her objection.

"No," he said. "I'm not leaving."

"But, Rick," her eyes were large and expressive, concern etched on her features.

"Kate… I'm not leaving your side," he said again. "I want to be present when you give birth to our daughter."

"Okay," she inclined her head, relenting to his wishes.

The nurse rolled her eyes, and pursed her lips in frustration, but set to work setting him up with a temporary splint until such time that a doctor could properly set the broken bones in his hand. Castle let the nurse work, and with his free hand, he reached up and caressed the side of his wife's face.

"I'm not going anywhere."

XXX

An hour later, after more curses, and some screams, Nicole Johanna Beckett-Castle finally made her appearance. Her head was covered in a thick mass of brown hair, and her little blue eyes squinted as she took in the bright world around her. Kate held her in her arms, tears in her eyes as she gazed lovingly down at the beautiful being that she and Castle had created together—a product of their love.

"She… she's perfect," Kate declared, gently skimming her fingertips along her baby's chubby little cheek. "Oh, Castle… thank you."

"Why're you thanking me?" he grinned, scooting closer, his left hand now firmly encased in a cast. "You did all the work."

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><p>Prompt from <strong>castlefanficprompts<strong>: _Kate breaks ricks hand while in labour._


	5. Know You

**Know You**

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><p>a "The Time Of Our Lives" story<p>

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><p>He woke up to a burning, aching pain in his chest. It hurt to breathe, and he struggled to heave in a single breath before discovering that it was much easier to wheeze and breathe through his nose instead. There were beeping noises all around him, and quite frankly, it was all beginning to freak him out. The sheets were scratchy, starchy, smelling of bleach and antiseptic. He wished he knew what was going on. Fighting against the pain, he blinked his eyes open, squinting in the harsh white light that saturated the room. He took him just a moment to assess the room, and realize that he is in a hospital.<p>

_Why the hell am I in a hospital?_

The reason was made crystal clear when he attempted to sit up. _Shit_. A agonizing pain shot through his entire torso, twisting and burning. It almost felt like someone had dug his heart out of his chest with a very, very dull spoon. _What the hell happened to me?_

"Oh, thank god… you're awake," an angelic voice sighed with… was that relief?

Blinking away the pain, using all his suppresses to stifle it down, he turned his head towards the source of the lovely voice. When he finally saw her, his heart jumped into his throat. _Was he in heaven?_ Probably—no, _definitely_—the most beautiful woman he had ever seen was standing beside him, gazing down at him with relief and something else in her glazed eyes. It looked like she had been crying. And he desperately wanted to know what had made her cry, so he could somehow make her feel better.

"Am… am I dead?" he managed to croak out.

"No… no," she shook her head, her voice wavering with barely suppressed emotion. Her hand landed on his shoulder, and she squeezed it, comfortingly, as if it was more for her benefit than his. "You're quite alive, Mr. Castle. A complete idiot, but an alive idiot."

"You know me!?" he hooted in surprise, wondering how such an extraordinary beauty would even know a washed-up novelist like himself.

"Well… that depends," she murmured, furrowing her brow contemplatively. "Do you know who I am?"

"An angel?" he spoke without thinking, the medication in his blood destroying his filter.

She smirked at that, shaking her head and biting on her lower lip. "No, I'm afraid not, Mr. Castle. I'm just an ordinary woman."

He scoffed in disbelief, then grimaced in pain. It hurt to huff. She gazed at him worriedly, but he managed to wave off her concern. "I find that hard to believe," he asserted.

"Well, it's the truth," she replied. "And in answer to your question… yes, I know you, and… no, I don't."

"Oh," Castle suddenly felt very disappointed… and confused. "Are my mother and daughter here?"

She nodded. "Yes. They're in the cafeteria getting something to eat. They'll be back soon." She paused, and then continued. "You have an amazing daughter, Castle," she said. "You must be proud."

"I am," he said, wishing he'd been a better father than he has been. Maybe it's not too late to fix that. Maybe it was time to finally be the kind of father—and the kind of man—he had always wished he could be. Castle looked back upon the woman standing by his hospital bed and again wondered why she was there. "Do I know you?"

"No," she shook her head. "No, you don't. But…," she paused for moment, her nose wrinkling adorably. "But… you did," she continued.

"Either I'm more drugged up than I thought, or you're not making any sense."

She shrugged. "Probably a little of both, Castle."

He narrowed his eyes at her, thoroughly confused and intrigued. She said that she didn't know him—that he didn't know her—yet there was such a familiarity about the way she said his name. Castle attempted to sit back up again, but had to stop when the pain in his chest reasserted itself. He groaned, and flopped back down on the bed.

"What happened?"

She swallowed, and he couldn't help but watch the enticing bob of her throat as she did so. "We were working a case together," she answered at length. "The suspect was about to shoot me, when you shoved me aside. And…" She left the rest unsaid.

Castle's eyes went wide. Wow. He almost couldn't believe what he was hearing. It didn't sound like him at all. It pained him to admit it, but he was a coward. There were only two people in this world he would gladly lay down his life for, and neither one of them were in this room. If he had been willing to die for this beautiful woman before him, then she must mean an awful lot to him.

She pursed her lips, and he could tell there was something else, but she was holding back. He breathed slowly, more through his nose than mouth as he tried to wrap his brain around the fact he had been shot. It was probably a miracle he'd even survived. Castle flicked his gaze back up to hers, uncertain. He could see something in her eyes, something that could be extraordinary. He wanted to know what it was. He wanted to know who _she_ was. And why his heart seemed to quicken at just the sight of her.

Knitting his eyebrows together, he looked at her in wonder. "So I was working a case with you? Does that mean you're a detective?" he inquired.

"Captain, actually," she said. "I command the 12th precinct."

"Cool," he said, wiggling his eyebrows as he looked up at her. "Must have been some case if it got you out from behind a desk." He let his eyes sweep over her form, unable to deny her model-like beauty, and haunting good looks. He really wished he could remember working a case with her.

"You have no idea," she mumbled, averting her gaze for a moment.

"You've got me at a disadvantage here," he said, trying to adjust to the ache in his chest. It still shocked him that he had been shot. For now, he could live with the discomfort. It may be a long road ahead of him with recovery, but at least he had survived. And he was now acquainted with the most beautiful woman he had ever met. He swallowed and looked at her, feeling an anxiety he hadn't felt in years. "You know my name, but I don't know yours. So… um… what's your name, Captain?"

She graced him with one of the most beautiful smiles he had ever seen. "I'm Kate… Kate Beckett," she introduced herself. "You don't know me, and I don't know you… at least not this you," she added that last part under her breath, before continuing, "but… if it's okay with you, I'd like to get to know you better."

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><p>prompt from <strong>anon<strong> on tumblr: _AU!Castle wakes up in the hospital to AU!Kate, and wonders how he knows her._


	6. Lazy Sunday

**Lazy Sunday**

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><p>a "Need To Know" story<p>

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><p>It was the perfect day. The sun was shining bright and warm, not too hot, just right. A calm between storms. A perfect day for a lazy Sunday in the park with Kate.<p>

His gorgeous fiancée was still bummed by her recently unemployment status. Castle tried his best to lift her spirits, but it was difficult. He had mixed feelings on the matter. Part of him was outraged that those CIA-wannabes in the AG's office would so quickly dismiss her for doing something that even they could probably admit was the right thing to do, even if it was inconvenient for them.

But there was another part of him that was selfishly glad she'd been fired. Castle hadn't been lying when he had pledged his support of her career aspirations. He was willing to rough it out as she adapted to the murky gray reality that was D.C. and it's politics. But truth was… that kind of life just wasn't for Kate. She didn't compromise, wasn't willing to allow innocents to get caught in the crossfire. And, he would always prefer going to bed and then waking up in the morning to find her still snuggled against his side, than having to share brief moments on Skype before she got called away on a case, which would be more often than not. Plus, Castle had to admit, mopey Kate Beckett was kind of cute. Her pout was adorable, and he was insanely proud that _he_ seemed to be the only one who could make her feel better.

It had been that way last night. Kate had been melancholy, bemoaning her current predicament, claiming she felt adrift and aimless for the first time in her life. Her meeting with Captain Gates hadn't gone so well. He knew she hadn't expected it to be that easy to get her old job, but it was hard to face the reality of just how difficult it might actually be. He then did what he did best, and that was distract her. And he was very good at it. Very, very good. Castle had proceeded to remind her just how _grounded_ she really was. Later, fully sated and satisfied, they'd fallen asleep contentedly in one another's arms, her woes forgotten for the moment.

They had whiled away the majority of the morning in bed, just being, leisurely enjoying one another as only lovers could, blessedly uninterrupted by his Mother or Alexis and the dreaded fruitarian she'd brought home with her from her Costa Rica trip. The silence from that front had been slightly unnerving, at least for him. He had become almost irritatingly accustomed to them popping up unexpectedly and invading his and Kate's private little bubble. But they hadn't. Everyone seemed to be doing their own thing, giving Castle and Kate some much needed alone time. It was still somewhat startling that with Kate now back in New York, the loft had suddenly become surprisingly full.

After pulling themselves out of bed, Castle had suggested that they shouldn't tempt fate and just have a picnic in the park to guarantee being undisturbed by his family and the annoying houseguest known as Pi. He had only been joking at the time, but when Kate's eyes lit up at the suggestion, he quickly set to work to make it a reality. Anything that would make Kate Beckett smile like that was worth doing.

And that was how he now found himself, blissfully reclining in the grass and enjoying an assortment of fruits and cheeses with his beautiful fiancée. Kate mirrored him, resting her head against her elbow as she closed her eyes and basked in the warm afternoon sunlight. She wiggled her toes in the green grass and smiled.

"This was a really great idea, Castle," she sighed contently.

Castle couldn't help but grin, pleased as all can be to see joy once again gracing Kate's face. He knew she was struggling with her life at the moment, but he had no doubt that things would right themselves eventually. And it was nice just spending some alone time together… outside of their normal daily routines at the loft or her apartment. Kate somehow looked softer out here in the park, with the warm sunlight filtering down between the gently swaying trees.

"I'd almost forgotten what it felt like just being lazy," Kate said as she nibbled on a slice of cheese.

"Well, you're learning from the master," he chuckled, waggling his eyebrows and flashing a playful wink in her direction. Kate bit her lower lip and shook her head, but her eyes shone with happiness. He shifted, twisting his torso to reach over his shoulder to tug the picnic basket closer. "Wine?" he asked.

"Yes, please, that would be lovely," Kate bobbed her head, rolling over to lie on her stomach, lazily swinging her legs in the air.

Castle's eyes sparkled with joy at seeing her so relaxed and at ease after the last two weeks. She looked utterly adorable in her light blue t-shirt and jeans, the bottoms rolled up to expose a portion of her calves. She wiggled her toes in the air, watching him with her gorgeous hazel eyes as he set down two small tumblers, and uncorked the bottle. He poured them each a modest amount of wine.

They clinked they're glasses together, and Kate gave him a playful wink as she took a sip of her wine. Castle settled back in the grass and set his glass down on the small blanket between them. He crossed his legs, and carded his fingers through his hair, closing his eyes and tilting his head to take in the sun.

Kate arched up on her elbows, and reached up to brush away some hair that had flopped down over his forehead. He opened his eyes at her tender touch, and saw her gazing up at him with large expressive eyes.

"Thank you, Castle," she declared softly after a beat.

"For what?" his brow scrunched in mild confusion.

"For today," she said with a shrug. "For… putting up with me, and my moods. I know I haven't really been the most cheery person the last couple of days. And for… for loving me, no matter how difficult I can be at times. I know you weren't really keen on the whole D.C. thing, but you stuck by me when you could have easily walked away."

"Hey," he smiled softly, reaching up to cup her jaw. She closed her eyes, sighing as she eased into his touch. "Like I said when I proposed, I can't imagine my life without you. There's no place I'd rather be than by your side."

"The feelings mutual," Kate agreed, smiling up at him as she flirtatiously flicked her tongue between her teeth, eyes glistening with love.

Castle beamed with utter happiness and joy. He caressed her cheek with the pad of his thumb, and then dipped his head down, capturing her lips in a sweet and loving kiss. Kate hummed approvingly into his mouth, pressing closer, nuzzling against him as her legs continued to swing lazily behind her.

Yeah. This was definitely the perfect day.

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><p>prompt from <strong>random-ship <strong>on tumblr: _Ok, as far as visual prompts, I'd love to read something based on this: fanart-by-e . tumblr post/92839015562/random-ship-sunday-in-the-park-with-kate-by-e_ (just remove the spaces between the periods)


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